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Marketplace Ministry: 10 ways to be a light in your workplace

Did you know you're a minister? You don’t need to be licensed and employed by a church to do the work of the ministry. In fact, Paul makes it clear in 2 Corinthians 5:17–19 (NLT) that “God has given us the task of reconciling people to him.” Essentially, we are all ministers. For many of us it comes naturally, yet for others it doesn’t. And oftentimes the most difficult place to minister is the workplace; however, Jesus shows us throughout Scripture that everywhere we go is an opportunity to minister. There are so many ways we can bring the love and light of Jesus into the workplace. Here are 10 tips to help you get started in your marketplace ministry!

1. JOIN IN. God may already be working in the hearts of those around you. Pray and ask God how you can join in on what He’s already doing.

2. GET TO KNOW PEOPLE. Find out what needs or difficulties people are experiencing, and pray about how you might help them.

3. IMAGINE. If Jesus were to walk through your workplace, what would His mindset be? Who would He encourage? What would He do? Take some time to ask the Lord what He would have you do in your workplace this week.

4. PRAY. Who can you pray for this week? Praying for your coworkers and leadership will make your spirit more sensitive to how you can minister to them in the future.

5. HONOR. The Bible says we should work as if we’re working for the Lord and respect and honor those in authority (Colossians 3:23–24; Romans 13:1–7; 1 Peter 2:13–20; Hebrews 13:17). This includes your boss, no matter who they are. How can you honor your boss this week?

6. BE PRESENT. Sometimes, when deadlines loom and the workload is overwhelming, it can be difficult to stop and be fully present with someone. But one of the biggest ways we can be like Jesus is by giving people our full attention.

7. ASK. Learn to ask a lot of questions and then truly listen. Sometimes listening can be more effective than talking.

8. CHOOSE PEOPLE ABOVE ISSUES. When issues arise, remember your relationship with those around you is more important than any problem. Every person is loved by God, and no problem should interfere with how we treat people.

9. BE KIND. Let your words always be lled with kindness and grace. In a world where kindness isn’t the norm, strive to be different and show the love of Jesus in all of your conversations. But don’t be fake—people can usually spot insincerity.

10. SHIFT YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Business is ministry when you do it for the Lord. Just because you’re not in full-time ministry working at a church, doesn’t mean your job isn’t as important to the kingdom of God. Think about how your job can help others and steward God’s creation.

If you are a business owner, president, vice president, CEO or C-Level executive, or leader of a nonprofit company, Gateway has resources available to you through our Business Leaders Ministry. For more information or to get involved, email business@gatewaypeople.com.